Dieting

Whoever heard of a diet at Thanksgiving and Christmas? Well, I had had it with the tummy roles and muffin tops. I never had to worry about weight until good ole menopause came to visit. Every year the weight seemed to creep up and always settled around the tummy. I hated how I looked and my blood pressure was rising. Shopping was no longer fun because nothing looked right.

One of my past students has become a Chiropractor. He has started a new weight area in his practice. His parents had such good luck I decide it was time to do something about mine. So in mid-October I started with a 10 day cleanse and then started the 40 day HCG diet. Yes it is often hard to make myself follow it but I have lost 17 pounds so I know it works. I take HCG hormone drops 3 times a day and eat 500 calories a day. The food selection is limited but I now have a waist. The real benefit is when it is over the hypothalamus re-sets the metabolism so I should be able to stay around my target weight. Before the diet, I'm not sure I had any metabolism! So there will be next years Thanksgiving to look forward to and Christmas will just have to be low sugar and carb.

In the past I have really been anxious about my self-discipline or lack of. Several months ago God woke me up twice in one night to tell me that I had all the healing and self-discipline I needed; I just had to trust him. So I am trusting and have stepped out on this diet to get the old Kathie back and I can see glimpses of her, just somewhat older!

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Next year maybe I will have some new recipes since this year I am not really thinking about them. Blessings to you all.

It's Been How Long??

Have you ever had great plans and then everything changes on you? Well that has been my last several months. Where does the time go?

Summer - I had some great plans made: golf lessons, playing golf with family, vacations, yard work, etc. What I got was gall bladder trouble and finally had to have it removed; goodbye summer!

School starts and I had another set of plans since I was feeling so much better; hello to a husband that runs into the side of the house chasing our bassett hound. Poor Ivey, he hated her for a while. He had limited use of his left arm and lots of pain, so in October he had to have Rotator Cuff surgery. He is not a house/office type and he is getting cabin fever I think. We now do physical therapy three times a week in the city. He is improving every day, praise God!

God is so good! He told me before Da-Da's accident that healing was given to us when Jesus died on the cross....I just had to trust him. Thank you Lord. Thank you that my plans are not always fruitful and your plans for me are so awesome! Thank you for your presence in good and bad times! You are our provider and shepherd.

We are both doing so much better, but it sure put a halt to working on my blog. I can't believe it has been since last spring. I feel like a new blogger again and I am at a loss for words, or should I say quality words. Even though I was not working on my blog, I keep up with the many I love. So thank you bloggers for helping me get through the dry spell I was in. Hopefully I am back!

I have so much to be thankful for during this fall season- family, HEALTH, church, etc. I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving season. Blessings are all around us, we just have to open our eyes and see them. Sometimes we take so much for granted. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Summer is Here!!

It has been several weeks since I have blogged with you. The end of school is always so busy for me. I know it is coming but I never seem to have everything done by the last day of school. Now that I am officially on summer break, I am spending hours and I mean hours in our yard. I love all my flowers, but they sure require some 'babying' to look good. That's alright, I prefer yard work to housework!! There are weeds that need pulling or flowers that need dead-heading everyday. I always seem to get more exercise in the summer and I know it is the gardening that does it.

One of the most "special" things that has happened since my last post is the baptism of four of our grandchildren. C1, C2, M1, and M2 were al baptized on the last Sunday in May. They each wrote their testimony to be read when they were baptized. Praise the Lord for children that love their God. I know God loves the little children, but when you see 10 children baptized in a small rural spirit-filled church, it is the most special occasion you can imagine. You pray for things in life for your kids and your grandkids, but knowing they are saved and have a relationship with their God has to be one of the best "blessings" in life. Thank you Father God!!

I have also decided I need to be more disciplined in taking care of myself. I have tried to eat better since Da-Da's heart problems several years ago. I take my vitamins and drink my water, but exercise has always been another question. I am forcing myself to walk every morning--well I have for 4 out of the last 5 mornings. I must admit that I do have more energy when I walk and seem to rest better at night. I have tried many different things to get rid of the "muffin top" and I have put off exercise until now. So, I will have to challenge myself every morning for the rest of the summer. I know I can do it. Thanks for Beth Moore on my iPod as I walk!!!

I also called last week and signed up for 3 golf lessons. My two daughters and their husbands and my son all play.....but not DaDa and I. I guess I will see next week if golf is for me!!

I have also realized I need to clean out some closets and drawers. I seem to hold on to things! I might need them! This morning I was looking for something and found several magazines from 2004. Now if I haven't read them or used their information by now, I NEED TO THROW THEM OUT!!! I think this may be harder than making myself exercise! The older I get the less important items become. I am tired of dusting and moving things around. We have lived in this house for only 3 years and I have accumulated too much stuff!! It is time to down-size some of that stuff!! As you can tell, this summer needs to be a time for change for me. Please pray for me!!

I am looking forward to the fresh summer fruits and vegetables. If you have any great recipes, send me a link and I will do the same. Have a peaceful week and may you be blest beyond your expectations!!!

New Business!

I just signed up for a new business. I'm not retiring from the school, but this is a little extra something. Even if it does not grow, I am benefiting from the product.

It is called DuVita and was started this past January. DuVita sells two products: Balance+ and Appetite+. Balance + is a combination of Chinese medicines designed to help boost your mood and keep your body in balance. Appetite+ increases the body's ability to burn fat quicker and more efficiently without jittery side effects. Both are made from natural ingredients.

I have had trouble lately with going home from work and crashing on the couch and then stuffing myself at supper. Yesterday I took Balance+ and Appetite+ about mid-morning. When I got home yesterday I had energy to clean out a flower bed and mow the grass. But, the best part was when I ate supper, I didn't clean my plate. I felt full and stopped eating. That in itself is a big step for me. I've never had a weight problem until menopause. Boy oh Boy has that changed things. I think it even helped me sleep better last night. Only time will tell, but right now I am very happy with the two products. I started Da-Da on the Balance+ this morning because he is working such long hours. There just has to be more to the late 50's than exhaustion and being fluffy!!!!

Check out my site at: www.duvita.net/kabryant

If any of you have other suggestions for adapting to menopausal problems, let me know. I am game for anything that will get me back into life again.

Rain is predicted for today and Saturday. Praise the Lord, we are dry. School is on the down-home stretch and summer is coming!!! Have a great week-end and may you all be blessed abundantly!!!

Day after Mother's Day!

I was thinking about yesterday, Mother's Day. I was with my two daughters, my mom, my mother-in-law, my aunt, my daughter's mother-in-law, her sister-in-law, and her cousin-in-law. It was a wonderful family day. Four of the five granddaughters dressed up and sang us a song - Amazing Grace. All of these girls and women are so precious. It was just a blessing to share the day with those I love so much. The men helped cook and clean up the kitchen. Thank you Lord for the blessings of families!

This morning I saw this on Julie's blog "circlecliffviews.blogspot.com". I thought about the females in my family and can see or imagine each one of them in this lifeline.

" A Woman's Lifeline"

Age 3: She looks at herself and sees a queen

Age 8: She looks at herself and sees Cinderella

Age 15: She looks at herself and sees an ugly duckling
(Mom, I can't go to school looking like this!)

Age 20: She looks at herself and sees.."too fat/too thin, too short/too tall,
too straight/too curly" but she decides she's going out anyway!

Age 30: She looks at herself and sees.."too fat/too thin, too short/too tall,
too straight/too curly" but decides she doesn't have time to fix it so she's
going out anyway.

Age 40: She looks at herself and sees.."too fat/too thin, too short/too tall
too straight/too curly: but says, "At least I am clean," and goes out anyway.

Age 50: She looks at herself and says, "I am what I am," and goes wherever she wants to go.

Age 60: She looks at herself and reminds herself of all the people who can't even see themselves in the mirror anymore. She goes out and conquers the world!

Age 70: She looks at herself and sees wisdom, laughter, and ability and goes out and enjoys life.

Age 80: Doesn't bother to look. Just puts on a purple hat and goes out to have fun with the world.

The moral is....maybe we should all grab that purple hat a little earlier!

I also think we worry way to much about what others think about us. I know I feel frumpy and out of sorts at times and just know I look a mess. But why should I worry? God made me in his image and he is perfection. He doesn't see the muffin top, the bad hair day, and the wrinkles. Why do I dwell on them? I need to look on others with more love and hope they do the same. Life is too short to be constantly concerned about the what ifs and why nots.

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day and may you be blessed beyond measure this week!